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Living in
Olney.
Olney is an unincorporated community in Montgomery County, MD. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.
About
Life in Olney
If you're considering Olney, you're looking at a solidly middle-to-upper-class suburban community built around family stability and good schools. The median household income of $171,766 reflects the area's wealth, though that comes with a median home price around $656,600 and rent averaging $2,409 monthly—costs that track with the broader D.C. region. The schools here genuinely matter: multiple Blue Ribbon elementary schools and three high school clusters mean education quality is a real draw, though the three-cluster system means some families will have assigned schools that don't reflect neighborhood boundaries.
Olney at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
41.6 yrs
Poverty Rate
4.3%
Foreign-Born
21.2%
Broadband Internet
97.5%
of households
Population Growth
+2.3%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics21.2% foreign-born, most often from Ethiopia
Who lives in Olney: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Olney, the largest foreign-born group is from Ethiopia (12.6%), and 7.1% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
26.2%
of residents
65 and Older
16.5%
of residents
Households with Kids
39.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
14.2%
of households
Married Couples
69.2%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.99
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 41% above MD average
Rent, home values, and income in Olney
In Olney, rent runs 41% above the MD average, and home values are 56% above the MD average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
44.0%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
34.7%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
108.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$5,712
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
89.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1986
median year built
Vacant Homes
1.9%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $652,144 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for MD
Unemployment in Olney and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Montgomery County, which includes Olney, is close to the MD average.
Unemployment rate
Olney: Montgomery County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Montgomery County (county-wide) · Annual averages
Olney is about 3% of Montgomery County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What Olney Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area
Commute31.8 min avg
How Olney residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Olney, most residents drive alone to work (57%), and 45% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 21 mi
Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI)
Major hub12.3M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 49% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in the area policed by the Montgomery County Police Department, which covers Olney, runs 49% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
167.1
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,571.4
per 100,000 residents
About average (1,552 national, 2025)
Policed by Montgomery County Police Department (county-wide rate)
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 29 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
91.7 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Montgomery County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Montgomery County, which includes Olney, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 29 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 29 | Winter Weather | $1.4M |
| 2024 | 25 | Thunderstorm Wind | $6.7M |
| 2023 | 19 | Thunderstorm Wind | $12.9M |
| 2022 | 39 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.6M |
| 2021 | 48 | Thunderstorm Wind | $4.8M |
| 2020 | 53 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.9M |
| 2019 | 56 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.5M |
| 2018 | 48 | Flood | $100 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Montgomery County, county-wide
Olney is about 3% of Montgomery County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality39 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Montgomery County, which includes Olney, is typically good — 299 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
39
Good Days
299
per year
Moderate Days
61
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Montgomery County, county-wide
Olney is about 3% of Montgomery County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate85°F summers, 29°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Olney has warm summers (avg high 85°F) and cold winters (avg low 29°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
65°/45°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
85°/66°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
66°/49°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
44°/29°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
48.1"
Annual Snowfall
15.8"
Hot Days/Year
23
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
86
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
136
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°F | 27°F | 3.11" |
| Feb | 45°F | 28°F | 2.60" |
| Mar | 54°F | 36°F | 3.66" |
| Apr | 66°F | 46°F | 3.23" |
| May | 74°F | 55°F | 3.55" |
| Jun | 82°F | 64°F | 3.96" |
| Jul | 87°F | 69°F | 3.98" |
| Aug | 85°F | 67°F | 3.05" |
| Sep | 78°F | 60°F | 4.01" |
| Oct | 66°F | 48°F | 3.52" |
| Nov | 56°F | 38°F | 3.27" |
| Dec | 46°F | 31°F | 3.38" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Olney
Olney has 1 hospital, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
2.2%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
Medstar Montgomery Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Adventist Healthcare Shady Grove Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 8.1 mi away · Rockville
Holy Cross Germantown Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 9.6 mi away · Germantown
Holy Cross Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · 9.6 mi away · Silver Spring
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education14.8:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Olney
Olney's student/teacher ratio is 14.8:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 65.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
7
within city limits
Private Schools
5
within city limits
College Degree Rate
65.0%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.8:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Olney (within 15 miles)
University of Maryland-College Park
13.2 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 30,760 students · in-state tuition $12,290 · 86% graduate · median earnings $89,228 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 13,773 students · in-state tuition $5,394 · 23% graduate · median earnings $55,378 (10 yrs after entry)
Public · 2-year · 6,649 students · in-state tuition $4,146 · 21% graduate · median earnings $53,227 (10 yrs after entry)
University of the District of Columbia
14.5 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 3,351 students · in-state tuition $8,636 · 32% graduate · median earnings $49,165 (10 yrs after entry)
Washington Adventist University
12.1 mi awayPrivate nonprofit · 4-year · 452 students · in-state tuition $26,604 · 53% graduate · median earnings $61,426 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 315 students · in-state tuition $28,258 · 50% graduate · median earnings $100,085 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Civil War Defenses of Washington, 13 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Olney
Olney has 8 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Civil War Defenses of Washington (13 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Civil War Defenses of Washington
National Park Site
13 mi awayClara Barton National Historic Site
National Historic Site
13 mi awayGlen Echo Park
Park
13 mi awayBaltimore-Washington Parkway
Parkway
14 mi awayChesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park
National Historical Park
14 mi awayGeorge Washington Memorial Parkway
Memorial Parkway
14 mi awayRock Creek Park
Park
14 mi awayGreat Falls Park
Park
15 mi awayPublic Libraries in Olney
Olney Branch
3500 Olney-Laytonsville Road, Olney
Cities Near Olney
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Olney?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Olney FAQ
Is Olney, Maryland affordable?⌄
Olney's median rent is $2,404/month, which is significantly above the national average. The median household income is $171,458/year. Median home value is $656,600.
Is Olney, Maryland safe?⌄
Olney is policed by the Montgomery County Police Department, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 167 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1571 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Olney, Maryland?⌄
Montgomery County, which includes Olney, has an unemployment rate of 3.7%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Olney, Maryland?⌄
The cost of living in Olney is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $2,404/month and median household income is $171,458/year. The median home value is $656,600. About 44% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Olney, Maryland?⌄
The average commute in Olney is 32 minutes, which is longer than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from